Summary: AU. Caught in the middle of Vladimir Master's evil plot to take over the Kingdom of Amity, Prince Daniel is turned into a half-ghost. Now he must flee for his life, hide in the company of two new allies, and fight his way back to the throne. DxS

Disclaimer: Butch and Nick own Danny and Co.

Big thanks for the great reviews. I lub you! It really helps the story along. Again, thank you!

Chapter 2: Fortune

Prince Daniel sat leaning up against a tree, watching the busy village of Fernley. The prince bore dark clothing with a cloak over his head through which his eyes easily glowed, so he carefully dimmed them by slightly draping his eyelids. Not that it was a stormy day, he was simply trying to be less noticeable. But a shady figure sitting under a tree on a hill wasn't exactly what you called inconspicuous. He knew he had to get out of there for his own good. He attempted to obscure his clothing, which were that of royalty and had bright green streaks with occasional artistry and design. Definitely not inconspicuous. He decided to drape his black robe about him as much as possible and constantly had to tuck his white hair inside his hood. White hair? Glowing eyes? What the heck was he? That's what he had asked himself that morning when he had woke up slightly phasing through his bed. A ghost.

A half-ghost to be precise, but he didn't know how to turn back to his human half yet. Heck, he was happy he could at least keep himself solid for now. And they were looking for him. His parents. They would never understand, they would hate him, he knew. That's what Vlad said. He had run to his father's advisor immediately, knowing he could be the only one that could possibly help.

"My dear boy," Vladimir had said to him. "Don't you recognize this is a gift? Why, you're practically the most unusual thing I've ever seen! Not ghost, not human! By God, you're half-dead! I'm sure your father would be fascinated, don't you think? With his love of ghosts and all. Why don't you show yourself and remove that hood?"

"No! I refuse for anyone to see me like this. And he doesn't love ghosts," Daniel replied. "Do you not know him? Are you mocking me in my hour of need! I mean, what am I!"

Vlad smirked at him. "I am simply trying to point out the obvious to you, Daniel. And it is clear to me by your form that you must have half-died in your sleep. I can sense your aura, you are not a full ghost. So this is what I suggest: flee. You might still have a life ahead of you, but you won't be safe here any longer. If your father finds out what you are, he'll tear you apart. I've known Jonathan since my childhood, and I can honestly say that your father would sacrifice his own son just to be rid of another ghost. Run away, Daniel, run!"

His heart thumped wildly at these words and he took one last look at Vlad's sneering face, turned intangible, and escaped the castle.

"Good boy."

Daniel lifted himself and began to walk toward the village, turning himself invisible. Keeping his invisibility was still difficult for him, however, so he had to spare it if he could. If anyone saw a ghost walking about alone they would surely call the royal guards. He could still remember his father's enthusiasm as he boldly told him that one day he would grow up and the land would be free of ghosts entirely, but perhaps before that he would have the honor of catching one himself. How was this for irony: now he was a ghost himself.

Daniel signed and phased through the nearest pub he could find. Materializing in a dark corner so that no one saw him come in, he knew he would not need to eat anything while he was in his ghost form. Actually, he could have sworn that he wasn't breathing at the moment. Heart rate: stopped. Weight of his body: father-light. Yes, he was certainly half-dead. He honestly shouldn't remind himself so much. The only reason he really was there was to hear what everyone was saying about his mysterious disappearance. Everyone must be looking for the prince by now, but as long as he was in his ghostly form, he doubted anyone knew what he was.

He took a seat at the deserted table and at first tried to ignore the uprising in the pub, but slightly turned his head to observe, making sure to drape his eyes.

"Do you honestly know what you're saying, girl!"

"Ghosts suck blood and devour souls, they have no feeling. They are the living dead!"

"How dare you mock the King of Amity!"

"Listen to me -- this isn't right! Would you like your soul taken and dragged off to some...some forbidden land once you died! These are spirits, just like us, only without a body! Well, at least a living body. And they need our help so that they can continue with their lives, not be pushed away. Not all ghosts are evil! Don't you understand that the number of ghosts has been accumulating because they haven't been passing on! I've even heard that they're killing them now, forcing them to go on! How cruel is that!"

Daniel did not see the face of the young woman speaking these words, but she seemed very determined. He wished he could be that brave in telling his parents what he really was. Then again, he'd probably get the same response as she.

"HA!" a round man yelled. "Kill a ghost? Woman, you are more twisted than your own tongue. Cease your infernal nonsense before you are asked to leave!"

"Too late! Get out, wench!"

"Leave, witch! I bet you're even possessed, aren't you?"

"I am not possessed!" she yelled.

"That's what they say before they drop dead. Now get out!"
"All right, I will!"

Daniel shifted in his seat to watch a girl with raven black hair to her shoulders wearing a torn brown dress stomp furiously out of the bar. She looked to be a peasant, and probably was, he reasoned. Before she left however, she seemed to stop and slowly looked in his direction. Why did she notice him all of a sudden? Was it that aura that Vlad had been talking about? He didn't remove his gaze from her, but kept his eyes draped. She blushed when he didn't look away and turned to leave and shut the door behind her.

He wondered what made her stand up for ghosts. Did she really care?That seemed rather foolish of her, he noted.He continued to isolate bits and pieces of conversations for further news.

"...of course the Prince ran away, love, who wouldn't with a king so crazed to capture every ghost in the land? As if that's possible..."

"...I think he killed himself. Couldn't live with it, ya know, too spoiled..."

"...well of course he's married! And if he isn't, I'm sure he's a fanciable catch. Just imagine marring the Prince of Amity!..."

"...boy had black hair, blue eyes. That's what I heard from one of the cooks at the palace. Tall lad, not too thick around the bones..."

"...well ya shood know not tah mess wit a sorcerer. Aye bet he's made 'im diss'pear. Alw'ys knew dar be summat in dat castle unholy..."

"...what are they gonna do without another heir? They married the girl off and now the son is missing. There's trouble if I smelled any..."

Daniel had heard enough. Unseen, he phased out of the pub and wondered where he should go next. He needed a plan. Vlad said that he may have a chance at starting his life over again. How would he manage that? He still didn't know how to turn back to human. He needed to see someone. Like a palm reader, or a ghost, if he could find one. The only problem was that if he met a ghost, he would most certainly meet a ghost hunter. He had always laughed at legends such as the Grimm brothers, but he knew that hired hunters were often about from his father's castle. He needed a place to go and fast. He had to keep reminding himself to walk, not float, as he made his way through the streets. Perhaps there would be something there that caught his eye.

Then he saw her, a fortune teller. He contemplated going up to her and asking her for help, but he was afraid that she'd know that he was the prince and turn him in. He'd seen the reward signs everywhere with his picture on them. Not even a good one, mind that. Well, he could always phase away at the last moment if she did try to pull something on him. He figured it was worth a shot.

He came up to her and covered his mouth as he spoke, knowing a cold chill must perspire from his body. "Are you a Reader?"

She smiled at him. She had long black hair, somewhere in her thirty's, and was clothed in turquoise rags.

Unexpectedly, he looked down at his mouth as the a blue mist emerged from it. How was that possible? He didn't need to breathe anymore.

He furrowed his brow and asked, "Who are you?"

She gestured for him to follow her into her mystic's tent.

"I am Desiree," she spoke once he was inside. "And you need not fear. I am a ghost almost like yourself. The only reason I stay here is because I am able to tell people their fortunes, and they tend to find loopholes against the king's orders for me. You see, they find me useful; tell them if they'll die tomorrow or not."

"I see," said the prince, finally unwrapping himself from his cloak, which fell back, allowing him to stand his full height. His white hair fell on his glowing green eyes and, with the cloak pulled back, he revealed black robes with white checked patterns on his shirt and green embroidery around his belt.

"Prince Daniel," she said, bowing low to him.

"N-No, don't," he said, insisting she get up. "You don't need to do that. I'm not really the prince right now."

"Ah, but you are," she said, sitting down behind her table which bore a crystal ball.

"What do you mean?" he said, sitting down opposite of her.

She motioned for him to give her his hand. "You're gravely troubled," she said in a mystic's tone. "You fear that you have failed your father. But there is much distress ahead. Your father will fall very ill."

"What!" He pulled his hand back. "How?"

She scowled at him. "Perhaps if you do not whisk your hand back, I can tell you."

He hesitated and then gave it back to her. Her expression intensified as she stared into his palm. "Yes," she said. "you are definitely the future king, but there is one who means to stand in your way, who wants you dead."
"My father?" he said cluelessly, shrugging and considering his father now wanting his head since he became ghost.

She looked up at him. "Stupidity will get you no where. No, it is another. Come! The crystal ball will reveal all!"

She pulled the robes back from her arms and placed his hand onto the ball. She removed her hands and observed the orb. He leaned in so that he could witness it for himself as well. His hand began to glow green and he saw the blankness of the ball turn into green smoke. Desiree's eyes widened in admiration.

Daniel watched as a figure came into view. Who was it? He saw the figure approach something that looked like a bed. Wait a minute, that was his chamber, his bed! And he was sleeping in it. He saw as the figure help up a scepter and whispered something. A large green glow absorbed him and there was a flash.

Daniel took a sharp breath. "That was last night! That was just then! When I was -- I was...turned into a ghost? I didn't die, did I? Someone did something to me? But who?"

"Watch," Desiree whispered strictly.

Daniel obeyed and saw the figure walk out of his room. The vision followed him.

"Vladimir? What are you doing up in the dead of night?" came his mother's voice.

"Queen Madison," said Vlad, bowing. "Forgive my impudence, but I was simply patrolling the hall. I could have sworn I heard someone stumbling about."

"Of course," she said, in a somewhat make-believe tone. She didn't seem to buy his lie. "Be well, I...must return to bed. Goodnight."

"Goodnight my queen," said the man and proceeded his stroll, his lavender robe chasing him down the stairs.

Daniel looked up in shock and saw the Reader look at him meaningfully.

"Vlad? He's behind this! But he told me -- I trusted him! He was -- he was my father's best friend! And he turned me ghost so I would run away and he could kill my father!" He stood up so abruptly that it shook the entire table and Desiree had to hold the crystal ball steady to keep it from rolling off the table and breaking.

"Life does not always choose our friends for us," she said softly. "For example, my dead lover promised me that he would give me anything my heart desired and more seeing as he loved me so. But there was another. And so my heart was broken. And stopped."

"Do you think I care about your stupid heart right now? What do I do about Vlad!"

She looked at him as if she expected his outburst, but no less offended.

"I -- " he had suddenly realized how insensitive he had just been to the only woman who could offer him advice and wasn't sure how to apologize. "Er...sorry. I didn't mean --"

"It is alright," she said, thought somewhat dryly. "You are suffering and you are panicked. And you have yet to go on your quest. Therefore, I will help you. Your father will soon be ill due to this man's great evil, but there is nothing you can do about that -- "

"Why not? Why can't I just go up to the castle and stop him?"

"Because he is not what you think he is! He is not mortal. He is a sorcerer. A very powerful sorcerer. And you cannot kill him. There is an object that can, however. I will not speak of this object, for I do not know what it is. Only you must discover for yourself what that object is and what connection it has to you. It will be of deep meaning and significance. You must also find a remedy for your father's illness. Do you know of any powerful medics?"

Daniel was panting at her words; he most certainly did not want to sit around and wait for that snake to make his father ill while all he could do is have some kind of ludicrous enlightenment that would reveal some kind of stupid object to him. He then considered her last words.

"Yes, my sister," he said. "But she is in another kingdom."

"Then you must go to your sister and ask her for the remedy," she said, nodding once. "The quest will be perilous, however. I need you pick four of these twelve cards. If, of course, you want your father to live."

"Yes I want him to live!"

"Pick the cards, then," she told him, folding out the deck. He pointed to four random cards and they floated out of her hands and onto the table. Unwillingly, a fifth card joined them on the table. She looked at it strangely. "Interesting," she said. "Not as I thought." He looked at her quizzically and she flipped over one of the cards.

"You will face four ghosts," she told him, "and, apparently, one hunter. Each will be different and each will teach you a separate lesson."

"Lesson? I don't need lessons, I didn't sign up for knight school, I need to find a remedy to cure my father!"

"Do you not want to find the object that will destroy Vladimir?" she said, cockling an eyebrow.

He sighed in agitation. "Yes," he said darkly.

"Then you will accept their challenge. Should they win any of your battles, you will be returned to the castle where Vladimir is sure to kill you and all who stand in his way to dominating the kingdom. You need this object, so you must not fail. It will not be simple."

"Of course it won't," he said dully. Was anything ever simple?

"The tasks will question your courage, ability to overcome temptation, strength, and wisdom," she said, flipping over each card that had markings unknown to him. "And your final will be a test of humanity."

"How quaint," he said, wrinkling his nose. Just what he needed.

"Should you fail, I repeat, the kingdom will fall to darkness."

"Oh, so the fate of pretty much everyone in the Kingdom of Amity rests in my hands?"

"You do want to be king, don't you? Did you think it would be all carnivals and games? Now I have told you everything there is to say and you should begin your quest. Unless of course, you plan to flee?"

"No," he said monotonously.

"Good," she said. "Then you should be on your way." He placed a gold coin on the table and she escorted him out of her tent as he once more wrapped himself in his robe.

"One more thing," she said as he turned to leave.

He turned to look at her. "You will meet two strangers. Do not take their company for granted. They will save your life -- or your afterlife, I suppose -- on more than one occasion."

He wondered what kind of strangers she was talking about but nodded, dimmed his eyes once more, and exited the tent.

A woman robed in knight's clothing passed through the street, her horse at her side as she scanned the market. Her eyes darted past a fortune teller's tent until she saw a hooded figure emerge from it and walk away.

She smirked to herself. "There you are, ghost. I knew I sensed you."

"Knight school." chuckles Oh, I kill myself. Or Vlad. If you may be wondering as to what age Daniel is in this story, he's right about 21, so you can pretty much guess everyone else's age just by knowing that. We also get our first glimpse of Samantha. Don't worry you'll see her and her friend soon enough. Daniel can't really stay alive long without them. And if you still can't figure out who the woman with the horse is, you'll have to wait until next time. All shall be revealed in time.